Integration of IEEE 802.16 with OpenFlow Software-Defined Networking

Document Number:

IEEE 802.16-13-0084-02-000r

Date Submitted:

2013-04-30

Source:

Roger B. Marks

Voice:

+1 619 393 1913

EthAirNet Associates*

E-mail:

roger@EthAir.net

4040 Montview Blvd

Denver CO 80207 USA

*

Re:

For P802.16r Project Telecon, 2013-05-01, 14:00 UTC

Base Contribution:

[none]

Purpose:

To stimulate and support discussion within the P802.16r project regarding Software-Defined Network control architecture.

Notice:

This document does not represent the agreed views of the IEEE 802.16 Working Group or any of its subgroups. It represents only the views of the participants listed in the “Source(s)” field above. It is offered as a basis for discussion. It is not binding on the contributor(s), who reserve(s) the right to add, amend or withdraw material contained herein.

Copyright Policy:

The contributor is familiar with the IEEE-SA Copyright Policy .

Patent Policy:

The contributor is familiar with the IEEE-SA Patent Policy and Procedures:

and .

Further information is located at and .

Integration of IEEE 802.16 with Software-Defined Network Control

This contribution is a followup to: •  IEEE 802.16-13-0049 (“Integration of IEEE 802.16 and

Carrier Ethernet”) IEEE 802.16-13-0049 proposed a switch-centric

architecture with a switch in the BS Switch is presumably based on 802.1Q functionality

(learning, spanning tree, etc.) Enhancement: Use of SDN controller to program the

switch, in addition to 802.1Q behavior.

Copyright © 2013 Consensii LLC

multiple Connections per SS Portone SS Port per Connection

Connections labeled by SS Port

EthernetSwitch

SS bSS a

BS in

multiple SS Ports per SSone SS per SS Port

MAC CPS

PHY

unidirectionalConnections

One CS instance per SSPort-aware CS

BS Port

SS Port 1

SS Port 2

SS Port 3

SS Port 1

SS Port 2

SS Port 3

Convergence Sublayer

all Connections linked via PHY[several examples highlighted]

Switch-Centric Architecture

Switch Control

•  Switching behavior per 802.1Q is required per IEEE 802.1Q –  “The standard will comply with IEEE Std 802, IEEE

Std 802.1D, and IEEE Std 802.1Q.” –  PAR P802.16r (IEEE 802.16-12-0587)

•  It is also possible to allow other switch behavior.

OpenFlow

•  OpenFlow enables networks to evolve, by giving a remote controller the power to modify the behavior of network devices, through a well-defined "forwarding instruction set". The growing OpenFlow ecosystem now includes routers, switches, virtual switches, and access points from a range of vendors.

•  The Open Networking Foundation (ONF) is now the home of the OpenFlow specification. -

Open Networking Foundation (ONF)

•  …a user-driven organization dedicated to the promotion and adoption of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) through open standards development.

•  SDN is a new approach to networking in which network control is decoupled from the data forwarding function and is directly programmable

•  Our signature accomplishment to date is introducing the OpenFlow™ Standard, which enables remote programming of the forwarding plane. The OpenFlow Standard is the first SDN standard and a vital element of an open software-defined network architecture. -

OpenFlow separates control and data path

•  In a classical router or switch, the fast packet forwarding (data path) and the high level routing decisions (control path) occur on the same device. An OpenFlow Switch separates these two functions. The data path portion still resides on the switch, while high-level routing decisions are moved to a separate controller, typically a standard server. The OpenFlow Switch and Controller communicate via the OpenFlow protocol... -

Copyright © 2013 Consensii LLC

CEN

UNI

EVC

NNI

OVC

OVC

802.16ASN

802.16 Control(AAA, synch etc.) &

SDN Control

802.16 BS Ports

a

bSS1

SS2

a

b 802.16SS Ports

SDN ControllerExample

OpenFlow channel

OpenFlow Hybrid Switch

OpenFlow-compliant switches come in two types: OpenFlow-only, and OpenFlow-hybrid.

•  OpenFlow-only switches support only OpenFlow operation. •  OpenFlow-hybrid switches support both OpenFlow operation and

normal Ethernet switching operation, i.e. traditional L2 Ethernet switching, VLAN isolation, L3 routing, ACL and QoS processing. Those switches should provide a classification mechanism outside of OpenFlow that routes traffic to either the OpenFlow pipeline or the normal pipeline. For example, a switch may use the VLAN tag or input port of the packet to decide whether to process the packet using one pipeline or the other, or it may direct all packets to the OpenFlow pipeline. This classification mechanism is outside the scope of this specification.

- OpenFlow Switch Specification Version 1.3.1 https://www.opennetworking.org/images/stories/downloads/sdn-

resources/onf-specifications/openflow/openflow-spec-v1.3.1.pdf

OpenFlow Pipeline

•  OpenFlow pipeline: multiple flow tables –  at least one flow table per switch

Figure credit: OpenFlow Switch Specification Version 1.3.1

OpenFlow Pipeline Progress

•  Actions per OpenFlow table

Figure credit: OpenFlow Switch Specification Version 1.3.1

802.16 Packet Classification

•  Classification is the process by which a MAC SDU is mapped onto a particular transport connection…

•  A classification rule is a set of matching criteria applied to each packet entering... It consists of some protocol-specific packet matching criteria… , a classification rule priority, and a reference to a CID.

•  It is possible for a packet to fail to match the set of defined classification rules. In this case, the CS shall discard the packet.

Per IEEE Std 802.16-2012, subclause 5.2.2

802.16 Packet Classification (downlink)

Figure credit: IEEE Std 802.16-2012

802.16 Packet CS compared to OpenFlow

802.16-2012 Packet CS OpenFlow Destination CID Port Table Pipeline No; one table, plus PHS Pipeline sequence Match on Headers, with masks Headers, with masks Match Priority Prioritized rules Prioritized rules Action without match

Drop Specified by Table Miss entry; can send to controller for learning, etc.

Match actions & Match instructions

Forward; Drop [PHS]

Forward; Drop; Group; ; ; ; ;

Counters & Timers No Yes Meter Tables No Yes Automatic Rule Deletion

No Timeouts (hard and idle)

Conclusions

•  OpenFlow Switch Specification specifies a programmable switch

•  OpenFlow switching involves packet header inspection and prioritized rule-based decision-making, similar to 802.16 Packet CS

•  Actions are more comprehensive than the 802.16 Packet CS

•  Control system is far more comprehensive than specified in 802.16.

•  Feasible to integrate OpenFlow Hybrid Switch with switch-centric architecture of 802.16-13-0049.